


Another Life

by ShindoW



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:54:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27617963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShindoW/pseuds/ShindoW
Summary: A collection of one shots. Prompts from friends/tumblr or random ideas that don't fit into my main story.
Relationships: Charlotte "Charlie" Emily & Henry Emily, William Afton | Dave Miller & Henry Emily, William Afton | Dave Miller/Henry Emily
Kudos: 39





	Another Life

Close Call

Summary: Prompt from Tumblr. “Henry finds William about to kill his daughter, but talks him down. Charlotte is left confused about the entire interaction.”

Henry massaged his temples. The flourescent lights were getting to him. The paperwork in front of him all blurred together, as if he weren't wearing his glasses. He thought back to his conversation with William the night before; the end result being nothing to alleviate Henry's fears or suspicions. Then, as if a final holy warning to him, Henry had taken the security tapes. He hadn't been able to get the image out of his head. Children lured away by Spring Bonnie.

A feeling washed over him and Henry went out into the play area to check on Charlotte. The rain echoed throughout the back of the building, eventually dissipating when the sound of the arcade machines, games, and music drowned it out. The thunder echoed above all else as if screaming at Henry to hurry.

He looked around the main party room. Henry shielded his glasses from the lights and spotted a group of children returning to their parents near a large table. An employee had already started cleaning up the plates of half-eaten pizza and cake.

But where was Charlotte?

He reflected on his conversation with William the night before.

“ _Even Charlotte has asked about you.”_

“ _Enough about her,” William spat. “I thought we were talking about us?”_

“Charlotte,” Henry called. He went over to the front of the pizzeria and glanced at the large stack of gift boxes, some knocked over. He raised an eyebrow, then stacked them back. That was when he noticed that the security puppet he had crafted was laying near the doorway. Henry picked up the doll and set it with the gift boxes.

“I'll take care of this,” he told it.

A family passed by him and shrieked, struggled with their umbrellas as they entered the torrent outside. Henry rushed over to hold the door, but not for them. He peered out, holding his palm over his glasses, and looked around. Henry stepped out. He looked around the sidewalk and then glanced out into the parking lot. Nothing. Just rain and cars. Darkness.

Henry sped up his pace now and reached the edge of the building. He looked down the alley. There was a car parked with the lights off. The alley wasn't a drive-through, so no one would be parked there. Then he heard a scream that muffled out and a yell.

Henry rushed down the alley. He slipped in the rain and caught himself on the vehicle, now resting idle with the back door open. Henry saw a familiar bright green bracelet in the car seat. _Charlotte._ He also recognized the car. _William._

Henry trotted further down the alley. He could hear a strange sound, like someone unable to breathe. A tiny squeak.

“Will, you out here?” Henry called. Hopefully that would be enough to scare him. Maybe there was still time. He tried not to think about all the strange _alterations_ Mrs. Afton had told him about from the blueprints.

Henry heard scuffling in the dark. He saw shadows in the street lamp at the end of the alley.

“You really should keep an eye on your daughter,” William said.

A cough.

Henry could barely hear him over the rain, but he took another cautious step forward.

“I think she must have gotten locked out,” Henry replied, hoping to keep William talking.

As Henry approached, he found William standing over Charlotte, hands around her neck. He didn't turn to look at Henry, but his grip loosened. He knew he was there.

“Dad!”

“I found her out here, wandering in the rain. She'll catch her death out here,” William said.

“Y-Yeah, funny that.” Henry forced the words out. His cheeks and throat burned as he struggled not to cry. He couldn't show William weakness. He couldn't show Charlotte fear. “It's getting time to close up, so... so why don't we...”

Henry finally saw his partner when he stood up. He let loose of Charlotte's neck, but took her wrist tight in his hand.

Henry eyed his daughter, noticing red marks around her neck. Then, he turned back to William. His hair fell over his face, stuck to his high cheekbones. Henry tried to see his eyes, but the normal gray they had become blended with the shadows. 

“Come here, Charlotte. It's time to go home,” Henry said. He forced a smile. How volatile was William? He tried to think back, but he hadn't seen the man express outright violence. In fact, he was a jabbering mess most of the time. _Most of the time..._

“Wait,” William said. He smiled down at the girl and lifted her into his arms. “Let me carry you, so you don't fall.”

Henry tensed his shoulders and watched as William walked Charlotte over to him. The entire thing seemed to last ages. William took each step purposefully, avoiding the built up rainwater, forcing Henry to watch and wait. 

“Hand her to me, William,” Henry stated.

William's eyes met Henry's, but he did nothing except flex his free hand, as if it cramped. He seemed to break a facade, like it was all a joke, and chuckled. He handed the girl over to Henry. 

“There you go, safe and sound,” William said. 

Henry gripped his daughter close to him, hugged her because he could never let her go. Not when this man was still running free. He imagined Charlotte years from now, trying to piece together everything. The lasting affair, the deaths, and vague memories of this night. 

William paused at his vehicle and turned to Henry. “What a night, isn't it?”

“I tried to call your house, but there wasn't an answer,” Henry said. He squeezed Charlotte and she made a whine. “The wife out for the weekend?”

“Looking for an invitation?”

“Far from it,” Henry spat. He walked past William and back towards the restaurant. He adjusted the weight of his daughter in his arms, kissed her forehead. Everything Henry had done had amounted to nothing. He couldn't risk bringing her around anymore. 

“Daddy,” Charlotte whispered. “My throat hurts...”

“It's okay, it's okay,” Henry whispered. He took comfort in the light shining out from the front of the building. He could hear William's junker as it sped off, but he didn't look back. Henry focused on the girl in front of him. 

“What's going on? Why did he do that, Daddy? Doesn't he love us?”

Henry brought Charlotte's cheek against his and cried. His daughter wouldn't notice with the rain still coming down on them. “D-Don't you worry about that. Don't worry.”

Henry had won, for now.


End file.
